A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of starting a fire in a building and a vehicle due to “frustration over not having money to buy drugs,” the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) announced in a statement on Saturday.
The fires broke out on September 10 in the town of Argea, in the municipality of Torres Novas.
Without specifying the arrest date, which occurred out of flagrante delicto, the PJ stated that the suspect “started the fires using direct flame and gasoline, belonging to his parents, which were destroyed.”
The fires posed a danger to “nearby homes” and “damaged two vehicles” and could have resulted in more severe consequences. This was averted due to the “quick and effective” intervention of the GNR patrol and local firefighters, the authorities detailed.
The suspect, now detained, will be presented to judicial authorities for the application of preventive measures.
